Forum Topic

why is there no fast track bus to Hammersmith?

a bus route down the A4 would seem to make so much sense - i don't really understand why there isn't one. i think there is a service because of the Hammersmith bridge closure which no longer stops here and that's fine if they are trying to get people to Barnes as quick as  possible. But they why not add, say,  a Hammersmith / Chiswick/ Richmond fast bus?  I feel like it would get a lot of use

Ceinwen Mailvaganam ● 1612d30 Comments

Particularly good question, if they’re trying to get us out of our cars. Plus they’ve made such a mess of the High Road and caused problems for buses there.

Maggie Dodge ● 1612d

There is already a fast service Hammersmith - Chiswick - Richmond running every 10 minutes or so.  It's called the District Line.

Richard Jennings ● 1612d

Richard -This is the part where you need to then explain how those with mobility issues will be unable to exit Turnham Green Station. I can help. They cannot.

David Lesniak ● 1612d

Yes David, the biggest issues with trains are the steps to the platform. The bus is quite different. Different colour, shape, runs on tracks not roads, that sort of thing. Welcome back !

Maggie Dodge ● 1612d

I love the District Line but it so often doesn’t run properly on weekends. And then one is stuck on gridlock hell on the buses.  Fast track bus on the a4 would be great..So many whys…

Susan Engel ● 1611d

Stopping the 533 in Chiswick would create an express route.

Anita Blake ● 1611d

An express bus linking Ealing Broadway, Acton Town, Chiswick High Road and Hammersmith Bus garage would be generally useful and transformative for disabled people in Chiswick because of the lack of platform access here. For instance it would open up Crossrail to them when it is introduced.Sadly I think, given the way the government is messing about with TfL's finances, any innovative thinking about the bus network is unlikely and we are set for a period of retrenchment.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1611d

Have you contacted your GLA representative or TfL or the London Mayor's office or are you just moaning on here?

Philippa Bond ● 1610d

I often wonder why, with all the rhetoric on active travel and health, a simple interim solution for buses would be remove half the stops. It would use less fuel, keep buses (and traffic) moving and get people walking more. Of course that is over simplifying, but it would buy time until a broader reinvention/intervention becomes workable.

David Lesniak ● 1610d

Was it the 533 that Cllr John Todd was trying to get to stop again in Chiswick?  Flattening myself against the wall in Turnham Green tube station while passengers poured down both sets of stairs at speed is my enduring memory of that station.  I used to walk further to avoid it at rush hour.Wouldn't increasing the space between bus stops increase queues on the pavement?  TGT is very narrow and the walk down to the High Road on the tube station side was fraught with obstacles.  CHR is wider and getting the bus up from Hammersmith Broadway used to often be very busy.  I wonder how far people are travelling?

Philippa Bond ● 1610d

There’s an option to cross from TGT into the park and down Elliott Road to avoid the Terrace. Also two sides to walk on.

Maggie Dodge ● 1610d

It depends which direction you need to head in.  Elliott Road was the wrong directionThere was a very good programme called Positive Thinking this morning about Direct Response Transport on Radio 4.  Those are the smaller buses that you use either an app or can phone to book to take you where you want to go.  Using digital technology a route is planned to take in all destinations requested.A new service has been started in Norfolk where they haven't had a bus service since the 1960s.  There was one on trial in Ealing but it was stopped as a result of Covid.

Philippa Bond ● 1610d

Phillipa - to your earlier question about whether i was just "moaning on here" . I was musing out loud about why there wasn't one with the expectation that the community would chime in with their thoughts on "good idea / bad idea" ( usually wild horses can't stop us all expressing our opinions). Should it seem  like a lot of people thought it was a good idea i figured i'd raise it with TFL (though i imagine they'll file in in the bin either way - that is a moan)

Ceinwen Mailvaganam ● 1610d

Ceinwen - sorry but the website is just full of moans and can be frustrating!I've raised things with TfL before.  I remember writing to them TfL about the DRT bus trial.  I didn't feel it had been advertised well enough.  I knew people living just outside the area who had been trying to get the Council to organise it in their area but had failed.  They were not on the internet to book it but this can be booked by phone as well.  Since they weren't online they could not access info on all the services that were already running or were being trialled.  They were dependent on Council action (Brent) which wasn't happening.  The Ealing Slide bus was covering more Ealing than Chiswick or Brent but could easily have been adjusted depending on where people wanted to go.  With the Mobikes the GPS could show what venues were most popular.  Yes, we do all travel through and work and play in different boroughs which doesn't slways seem to be appreciated.  It seems the sort of thing that could start small and then increase in size depending on popularity.  ICllr John Todd was chasing TfL via a GLA member as I recall to get a bus route reinstated  which had been cancelled once Hammersmith Bridge had reopened to cyclists and pedestrians.  Maybe it is worthwhile contacting him to ask the question?

Philippa Bond ● 1609d

Um...er...Philippa, isn't that called Uber? Or a black cab? A car service?

David Lesniak ● 1609d

No it isn't an individual car just for one passenger - there are far too many of those clogging up the roads both parked and travelling.  It is a minibus and the route is determined by all the places that people want to go to.  I believe it is cheaper than a black cab or Uber but your route is unlikely to be direct.I'm surprised there isn't more information about black cabs especially the ones you call up nowadays and book by phone or online.

Philippa Bond ● 1609d

The great thing about black cabs is that the drivers have done The Knowledge.There used to be a very good website a sister to Fix My Street called Fix My Transport where you could communicate about transport options that were missing because of changes of workplaces with workers needing transport.It was interesting to hear that there are some of these DRTs subsidised by offices/factories etc.

Philippa Bond ● 1609d

Hi CeinwenI believe the answer is because it doesn't provide any personal benefit to Mr Paul Campbell or Mr Michael Robinson of Hounslow Cycling who frankly don't give a damn about the fact that you require a different means of transport than a bicycle, but are deeply connected with the London Borough of Hounslow for furthering only their own interests, not yours.Love Amanda x

Amanda Smith ● 1608d

If you haven't guessed Amanda is part of the me-me-me car lobby.  A shame she couldn't be more constructive.

Philippa Bond ● 1608d

Spot on Amanda. The only thing the cycle lobby construct is cycle paths, without consideration for pedestrians.  Get out of your cars they say. Public transport oh no, no money left it’s all gone  on providing for the tiny.minority iof cyclists.many of whom use it only occasionally, but they want it sitting waiting for when it suits them. What’s not fair about that ?

Maggie Dodge ● 1608d

Maggie, Amanda... I understand you don't like cyclists, or cycling, or the way things are handled in the borough. I don't agree it but I respect that. What I want to ask is why does it ALWAYS have to descend into a anti-cyclist bashing. It seems that almost every thread eventually winds up there, and it seems that there's always one or two names that are called up - Paul Campbell and Michael Robinson - with allegations about them being in cahoots with the powers that be and so on. I really hope you don't take this the wrong way, and I'm conscious of being a "new joiner" on this forum, not fully cognizant of the history behind a lot of the interactions, but the constant cycling bashing and name-calling are making this virtual place hostile and unwelcoming. What if cyclists started opening up threads, or derailing existing ones, to call out names of motorists who've behaved badly in their eyes? I've plenty of examples, but what good does it make?

Francis Sheehan ● 1608d

Francis, where have you been with respect. I constantly say I have no issues with cyclists only the cycle lobby. The cycle lobby are as aggressive as any group of people it’s ever been my misfortune to come up against.  Having made an error of judgement said cycle lobby spread my apology across Twitter for all to see. Even though it was an apology to one person. They also put it on here and used it to try to embarrass me. Then when it died down they used it again! So if you don’t understand my issues then you are lacking information. Finally if you are not aware that the  LCC has quite a control over localcouncils,  mostly Labour, then you  are also missing a lot. Obscene amounts of money are spent on cycling infrastructure . They want us out of our cars but similar amounts are not available to help us, unless of course it’s to cycle. I’m sure you’re intelligent enough to understand why many of us can’t or won’t cycle. Does that help?

Maggie Dodge ● 1608d

"Does that help?"No, it does not. As I wrote earlier, I appreciate there's 'history' in your dealings with some people and I'm not going to step into that. I'm just noting, as a reader and user, that this constant badgering is poisoning the atmosphere here. I also see that there's no desire/incentive to change it, so I'll leave it at that and will refrain from contributing on this forum for the foreseeable.

Francis Sheehan ● 1608d

I speak here as a car owner, albeit one trying to minimize my car usage.The sad thing is, this once vibrant forum has now become an echo chamber for a few posters who shout down any dissenting voices and then cry foul when someone calls them out. The few people who dare to speak out are targeted with pile-ons and threads naming them and it feels like an attempt to shut down debate.This constant talk of the "cycle lobby" is ridiculous- as if the oil companies, car manufacturers, AA, RAC etc etc haven't lobbied on behalf of motorists for years and contiue to do so. These big organizations have far more power and influence than a few local cyclists.Most reasonable people see that we do need to do more to encourage people out of cars. They also see that sometimes these things need to be tried, and evolved as we better understand how to best implement them.

Chris Jenkins ● 1608d

All good Chris. Just wondering what you think has been done to help us leave our cars at home?

Maggie Dodge ● 1608d

Why should people be helped any more than they currently are. In London there are usually viable public transport alternatives, maybe not as convenient, but they will get you there. If there is not a viable alternative then of course there is still a place for the car.My mother, who has never driven, lives in a small town in Devon. There is one bus an hour on her route. She knows this and plans around it. We are incredibly lucky in london that a 10 minute wait for a bus is often considered a long time.

Chris Jenkins ● 1608d

Well said Francis Sheehan and Chris Jenkins.

David Burke ● 1608d

"My mother, who has never driven, lives in a small town in Devon. There is one bus an hour on her route. She knows this and plans around it."Presumably that is her choice?

Steve Taylor ● 1608d

So you think everything’s great and the rest of us, and there are many, who are unhappy are wrong. Is that how it works? No sorry it’s not. I suggest you skip the posts you don’t like, there’s your solution.

Maggie Dodge ● 1608d

It’s not part of their plan. They’re rather rubbish.

Russell Pearson ● 1607d